Republican Rep. Jeff Denham's political debut fundraser in Washington was a bust. The freshman California lawmaker began the America's New Majority political action committee in November as a way to raise money for fellow Republicans.

"This is to help our freshman class," Denham said in an interview on the day of the fundraising event. "It's to bring us together, and it's also to raise the money to make sure we can campaign well in 2012."

Denham's special fundraising committee reported spending $212,250 on the event including a $75,000 "musical entertainment fee," for the LeAnn Rimes performance itself. Additional cost include $25,000 for "event management" paid to Nashville-based Maximum Artist Management, $27,166.74. for flowers and "event design," and nearly $55,000 for hotel rooms and catering paid to the W Hotel, a couple of blocks from the White House. The committee, meanwhile, raised a megor $212,900 from outside contributors.

Hang on a second, the number are so close, I can do the math in my head. Let's see...they raised $212,900 from the event, minus the $212,250 they spent on the event. Okay....that becomes an "8" - carry the "1" - WTF? - $650 dollars.

America's New Majority, was specifically established to aid 11 Republican freshman House members who signed on. I'm sure all 11 Republicans will be anxiously awaiting their $59 piece of the $650 pie.

"It's an industrial-strength waste of money, and the people who gave the money are going to resent it," said Michael Fraioli, a longtime Democratic fundraising expert.

Some critics questioned such a lavish event being held on the eve of a new Congress whose members were touting the need for fiscal discipline. One conservative commentator asked Denham at a news conference whether it was right for an "admitted adulteress" like Rimes to entertain at a GOP event.

Denham quickly brushed off the criticism while other potential beneficiaries, including Florida Reps. Steve Southerland and David Rivera, drew critical responses from Democrats.

"While Florida families struggle to make ends meet, Rivera and Southerland will be living large on the dime of special interests and lobbyists at a lavish Washington fundraiser," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff declared in a January statement.

The bigger question is what nitwit came up with the bright idea to book LeAnn Rimes for a conservative event. It's bad enough to only make $650 after spending nearly a quarter of a million dollars, but to hire a homewrecking, husband stealing, adultress to headline the event is mind numbing.